


reason to worry

by freedomatsea



Series: a messy situation [22]
Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Nightmares, Racism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 09:56:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18444197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freedomatsea/pseuds/freedomatsea
Summary: A nightmare gives Beth and Rio a reason to worry. (part 22 of 'a messy situation')





	reason to worry

Beth startled awake, the dredges of her nightmare still clinging to her as she reached for Rio. Rio groaned a little as he slowly came awake, rubbing at his eyes. “What is it?”

She shook her head, not yet ready to put words to the dream as she wrapped her arms around him settled down with her cheek against his chest. 

“It’s alright, baby.” Rio assured her as he rubbed her back. “You’re shaking.”

She was shaking, trembling as she tried to calm her heart rate down. “It was terrible.” Her voice cracked. “We went down to Carson and Turner met us there. Instead of taking down O’Connor was sitting there…” Beth closed her eyes tightly, trying to will away the images of the nightmare. “Turner shot you.” She whispered, her fingers moving to find the place on his chest where it had happened, relieved to find the skin smooth and unmarred. She knew it was just a dream, but it had terrified her. “I tried to go to you, but Turner arrested me and threw me in the back of the cop car. They left you on the street to bleed out.”

“ _ Shhh _ .” Rio said softly as he squeezed her shoulder. He shifted, wrapping both of his arms around her, pressing his face into the crook of her neck. “I’m right here.”

“It was terrifying.” Beth breathed out as she clutched him, trying to keep him as close to her as possible. “I can’t lose you.” 

“You’re not gonna lose me.” Rio assured her, rubbing his hands down her back, before he pulled back to press a kiss to her forehead. “Nothing’s gonna happen at Carson today. I ain’t goin’ and neither are you.”

Beth nodded her head slowly. “Will O’Connor’s guy know it was us?”

“Nah.” Rio shook his head. “Cops hang out down by Carson. It’s the best worst place to do drops. Ya know? Cause you’d have to be stupid to do it under a cop’s nose.” He cupped her cheek. “You good, baby?”

Beth shifted forward to press her lips to his, her fingers trailing over his throat, curling around the back of his neck. “Can we just stay home today?” She questioned, her words muffled against his lips. 

Rio chuckled softly, rubbing his hand over the small of her back. “Jane’s got her recital tonight and I gotta go get Marcus.” He reminded her, brushing her hair behind her ear. 

“I know,” Beth sighed, running her hand over his arm. “Parental duties call.”

“It was just a nightmare.” He said gently, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. 

“I don’t think my subconscious has forgotten your comment about having to  _ kill  _ the king to become the king.” She told him, thankful that the darkness of their bedroom hid the tears in her eyes. 

“That was a long time ago now.” Rio whispered, brushing his lips against hers. “It was just a nightmare,” He reasserted. “We’ve got a long day today.  _ Sleep _ .”

Beth nodded her head slowly, pressing closer to him, her arms wrapped around him. She didn’t think she’d get much sleep, her mind still trying to unwind itself from the nightmare. 

* * *

Beth idly picked up a couple carrots from the vegetable tray, scooping up some of the ranch dip and putting it on her plate. 

“Where’s your plus one?” Dean questioned as he approached her with his hands shoved in his pockets, in an attempt to look casual.

“Picking up his son.” Beth answered easily, dipping her carrot in the ranch dip and taking a bite. 

Dean nodded his head slowly, “Jane seemed disappointed that he wasn’t here for the opening half.” 

“He’ll be here soon.” Beth said with a tight-lipped smile. “She’s on stage the most for the second half.”

“How are you doing?”

Beth took another bite of the carrot, “We’re  _ good _ .”

“I’m going to counseling.” Dean told her as he stepped towards the table to pour himself a glass of lemonade. “That’s been good. You know? I’m working through my problems.”

Beth turned to look at him, “That’s good Dean.” She said, trying to keep their conversation to a minimum. 

“Do you think,” Dean started, taking a step towards her, but she took a step backwards. “maybe one day…” He gestured between them. “We might give it another go?”

She laughed sharply, “No.”

“Come on, Bethie.” He frowned, trying to guilt her with a pull for sympathy. “We had a good thing for twenty years.”

“It was  _ never _ good, Dean.” Beth said with a shake of her head. “I don’t regret staying married for as long as we did, because I love our children… but you have to realize it wasn’t good.”

“I still love you Beth.” Dean told her with an edge of desperation. “And I realize I screwed up.”

“I’m not the woman you married anymore, Dean.” Beth told him firmly, glancing sideways as two parents lingered too close to them. “I love Rio.”

“I just don’t get it.” Dean shook his head slowly. “My psychiatrist said you’re just acting out. Seeking out something dangerous to overcompensate for our marital troubles.”

Beth scoffed. “Are you kidding me right now, Dean? That’s some bullshit coming out of a shrink’s mouth and you know it. I sought out Rio because he actually respects me. The fact that you still don’t understand  _ my  _ agency in all of this tells me you’re never going to respect me.” She spotted Rio coming through the front door with Marcus holding his hand. “Excuse me.”

Beth brushed past Dean and headed towards Rio. “You made it!” She said with a broad smile, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before she knelt down in front of Marcus. “Hey there little man.”

“Hi Miss Elizabeth.” He said as he released his hold on Rio’s hand to hug her. “Where’s Emma?”

“She’s in the auditorium with her grandparents.” She tousled his hair as she stood back and met Rio’s eyes, “Dean’s parents.”

“How’s that?” Rio cocked a curious brow. 

Beth stepped to the left to throw her plate away, “Tense.” She admitted, looking towards Dean at the snack table picking up a cookie. “Dean still thinks there’s some chance he might convince me to get back with him.”

Rio chuckled. “Still delusional, huh?” He shook his head. “Heard there was an arrest on Carson on the way to pick up Marcus.”

Her eyes widened. “ _ Really _ ?”

He nodded his head and glanced towards the snack table. “Marcus, why don’t you go get a cookie.”

“Okay!” He said, rubbing towards the table and Beth glanced back to see that Dean had retreated back to the auditorium. 

“Was it O’Connor?”

Rio screwed up his lips as he gave a short nod, his eyes flickering around the room, before he settled back on Beth. “Yea, Turner picked him up and three of his boys.”

“Are we good?”

He rolled a shoulder, “Rumor was he had a couple unregistered guns. Serials scratched off. Might’a been a deal gone bad if I’d gone.”

The lights flashed to signal that it was time to go back into the auditorium. She watched as a few parents started heading for the auditorium doors, before she glanced back at Rio. “Dean’s parents are in the same row as the kids. You good with mingling?”

He clicked his tongue against his teeth. “I can be  _ very _ charming.” He remarked, reaching for her hand then, gesturing for Marcus to come back from the snack table. 

They headed into the auditorium with the mix of parents, walking down the aisle to their row. Beth squeezed Rio’s hand tightly as Dean’s parents turned to give them a disdainful look. 

“So this is  _ him _ .” Judith said sharply as she glared at Rio. Her eyes raked over him with a look of disgust. 

“You must be Mrs. Boland.” Rio said, releasing Beth’s hand so he could offer Judith a handshake. “You know, that biscuit and gravy recipe of yours is to die for. Beth made it last weekend and you did good.” 

Judith shook his hand, “She still uses that, hmm?” She fixed Beth with a look, before she looked towards Marcus who was trying to wiggle his way past her. “And who are  _ you _ ?” It was hard to be bitchy to a kindergartner, but somehow Judith still managed to pull it off.

“My name’s Marcus.” He said with a cheeky grin he stole straight from his father. Emma pushed past her father, her grandfather, and nearly climbed over Judith’s legs to get to Marcus. “Hi Emma!” He waved. 

Emma practically tackled Marcus with a hug, dragging him back down the row to their saved seats. 

“You should go around.” Judith said to Beth, turning her gaze towards the stage and ignoring the two of them then.

“ _ Eric _ .” Beth said to Dean’s father, her brows rising upwards expectantly. Of the two, Judith had been the  _ worst _ in regards to the divorce. Her little Deansy couldn’t do any wrong. Eric, on the other hand, thought Dean was an idiot. Of course, purely because he let someone like Beth slip through his hands and not because Dean was a whole-package idiot. 

“ _ Judith _ , let them through.” Eric said, giving his wife a frustrated look. “This is about Janie.” 

Judith relented, standing up so Rio and Beth could make their way down the row. Dean looked  _ furious _ , which gave Beth a cheap thrill. Had he expected that Rio wouldn’t show up? That he could look good in front of his parents and make Beth look like the fool for being with someone who wasn’t there for the  _ family _ . 

Rio settled into the seat beside Marcus and Beth slipped past him to sit on his other side, letting out a heavy sigh once she had taken her seat. “Tough crowd.” He quipped, giving her a sideways look.

Beth leaned over and whispered, “You handled it well.” 

He shrugged a shoulder. “What was I gonna do? Pull a gun and tell her to move her scrawny ass out of our way?” Rio snorted, shaking his head. “It’s all good, baby.” 

Beth smiled softly, leaning her shoulder against his as the lights started to dim and the music began playing. 

* * *

“I just don’t understand what she sees in someone like  _ him _ .” Judith remarked, her eyes flickering towards where Rio was knelt down talking to Janie about her recital across the room.

Beth was well aware that she’d framed the comment to be perfectly timed with her walking out of the bathroom and passing by Judith, Eric, and Dean. Just like Dean, Judith was the master of saying the right comments to start  _ something _ . It made her blood boil. 

What Beth couldn’t understand was what Judith was failing to see in Rio. He had spent the last thirty minutes following the recital, listening to Janie ramble on and on about the dances that they had all just sat through, which even Dean had weaseled his way out of. Janie was an odd one, she liked holding court and she would hold you captive by clutching at some part of your apparel to keep you there. She didn’t have to pull out that trick with Rio, because he was suitably ensconced in her tale. 

“I think  _ she _ sees a partner.” Beth said as she shouldered her purse and stepped into the conversation. “Oh, wait… was I not supposed to hear that?” She flashed Judith a tight-lipped smile. 

Dean laughed nervously,  “Mom was just talking about how  _ different _ he and I are.” 

Beth rolled her eyes and shook her head, “Do I get to add to the list? Because not being a  _ cheater _ is pretty high up on the list for me.” 

Dean opened and closed his mouth, at a loss for what words to say. But Judith had words to say. “Oh,  _ please _ , Elizabeth. Like you hadn’t moved on to that…  _ man _ while you were still with Dean.” She narrowed her eyes at Beth. “I know  _ all _ about that.” 

Beth clenched her jaw together tightly, glaring at Dean. “I thought certain aspects weren’t to be discussed…”

“You see, funny story…” Dean cleared his throat. “My psychologist told me I should speak my truth to those closest to me.” 

Judith wagged a finger at Beth, “And I know all about the fact that you threw yourself at the man who  _ shot _ your husband like a dirty hussy.” 

“A  _ dirty hussy _ ? Wow, Judith.” Beth laughed bitterly. “Tell me how you really feel.” 

“You want the truth? You destroyed a perfectly happy family over some…  is he even  _ legal _ ?” She questioned, giving him another glare across the room. Beth had to use every fiber of her being not to punch Judith in the face, then and there. 

“Oh. My. God.” Beth took a step backwards. “Are you  _ serious _ right now?” 

“ _ Judith _ .” Eric warned, grabbing his wife’s elbow. “Don’t do this around the children.” 

“The children aren’t here.” Judith waved him off. “They’re off playing with Elizabeth’s cabaña boy.” 

Beth couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but at the same time… these were  _ Dean’s _ parents. He was cut from the same cloth, he just hid it better. 

“On  _ that  _ note, the kids and I are going home.” Beth said crisply, digging her keys out of her puse. “This is  _ bullshit _ .” 

“What about ice cream?” Dean questioned, his voice cracking over the words. 

“The children do  _ not _ need ice cream at nine in the evening. They need to go to sleep.” Beth bit out, before she turned on her heels and headed for Rio and the kids. “We’re leaving.” She told Rio as he stood up, his brows drawn together with concern. “ _ Now _ .” 

“Don’t forget your flowers,” Rio told Janie, before she tore off across the room to grab her bouquet of flowers from a vase, which the dance teacher had gotten for all of the girls. “What the hell happened?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Beth said as she made a mental count of the children. Kenny, Danny, Emma, Marcus, and Jane was on her way back over. 

“Are we getting ice cream?” Kenny questioned as he looked up from his iPad. 

Dean started towards them, but he read the deadly look on Beth’s face and veered towards the snack tale instead. He’d fucked up.

“We have a carton at home.” Beth told him, raking her fingers through her hair. “Janie, come on.” She said, ushering the children and Rio out of the community center and towards the van. “Everybody in.” 

“You gotta tell me what just went down.” Rio told her as she closed the van door with the children all safely inside. 

Beth crossed her arms across her chest, shaking her head as she drew out a shaky breath. “Bullshit,  _ that _ is what happened.” She lifted her gaze to meet his, biting down on her bottom lip before she added. “Dean’s told his parents about  _ everything _ , which means they’re aware of the fact that  _ you _ are the person who shot him.” 

“Ah,” Rio rocked his lower jaw back and forth, his brows drawn together. “They definitely put off a  _ welcomin’ _ vibe.” He reached out and brushed his fingers over her cheek. “They ain’t your in-laws no more. You don’t gotta owe them anythin’.”

Beth leaned into his touch. “They’re idiots.” She pulled back and shook her head, “I don’t know why I’m surprised that they’re backwards.” 

Rio clicked his tongue against his teeth. “Neck tats got ‘em, right?” He remarked, trying to keep his tone light as he opened the passenger door for her, “I’ll drive.” He drawled out, taking the keys out of Beth’s hand. 

“Thanks.” Beth smiled at him, before she sat down in the car and he shut the door. “I was  _ really _ impressed with you Janie. You were the most graceful ballerina up there tonight.”  She said as she glanced back at the kids. 

Janie was beaming. “Thank you mommy! Did daddy like it? He didn’t say.”

Beth sighed, turning her gaze forward again as she sank back in the seat. “Of course he did! He was just busy with Nanny and Papa.” 

“Nanny promised me ice cream.” Jane reminded Beth with a long suffering sigh. “Is she coming to the house?”

“It’s  _ really _ late and you know Nanny always gets tired.” Beth gave Rio a sideways glance. “Maybe next time you have your recital.” She pushed her hair behind her ears. “As it is, it’s only going to be a small bite of ice cream and then it’s tub time.”

“ _ Finnnnne _ .” Jane retorted, before she started running her mouth to Emma and Marcus, giggling about some story they were telling.

“Today has been a  _ day _ .” Beth pinched the bridge of her nose, before she rubbed at her temples. “From the nightmare this morning to the waking nightmare in there…” She shook her head slowly. 

* * *

“God, I love you.” Beth said as she padded across the kitchen floor in her pajamas, picking up the glass of bourbon that Rio had sat out for her. 

“You talkin’ to the bourbon or me?” Rio questioned with a smirk, as he picked up his own glass and took a sip. “Though you needed to unwind.” 

Beth took a sip of her bourbon, sweeping her tongue out over her bottom lip as she sat the glass back down on the counter. “I could drink that whole bottle, just watch.” She laughed a little, meeting his eyes. “Look, it doesn’t matter what Judith  _ said _ . It was bitchy and overtly racist.” 

“I figured.” Rio rolled his shoulders, loosening the top button of his shirt as he took another sip of his bourbon. “That haircut said it all.” 

Beth snorted, wiping the back of her hand over her mouth. “She’s always been a nasty bitch. But  _ that _ …” She shook her head. “I wanted to strangle her right there in front of everyone.” 

Rio took a sip his bourbon, “Glad I missed  _ that _ chat.” He swirled the amber liquid in his glass, pursing his lips. 

She took another sip of her bourbon. “I should’ve known better when Dean was trying to be  _ friendly _ . He saw you weren’t there and tried to talk me up.” She shuddered dramatically. “I feel sorry for his shrink. That’s a  _ lot _ to unpack.”  Beth finished off her drink, sitting the glass down for Rio to refill. 

Rio rubbed the edge of his glass against his lips, his eyes dropping to the counter with a pensive expression that Beth noticed. “You okay?” She questioned and his eyes flickered towards her then. 

“Just thinkin’.” Rio answered, sitting his glass down and leaning against the island. “There’s gonna be fallout from O’Connor’s arrest.”

“I thought you said they won’t know it was us….” Beth swallowed thickly. 

“Nah, they won’t know it’s us. But he’s gonna start running his mouth and it’ll get back around that it  _ might _ be us.” Rio’s jaw clenched so tight she could see the muscle ticking with the pressure. “I’m gonna get a couple of my guys to trail you for the next couple days. Yea?” 

Beth nodded her head slowly. “Whatever you think is best.” 

“They ain’t gonna know why.” Rio rolled a shoulder, reaching for the bourbon and refilling his own glass. “We don’t need the trouble.” 

“ _ Right _ .” Beth chewed on her bottom lip. “I mean… what’s the risk here? Was it too obvious?”

He shook his head. “I dunno particulars, but I know we gotta be careful.” Rio took a long swig of his bourbon before he added, “Your dream got me spooked. My abuela has always been  _ big _ on listening to dreams.” 

“What about you?” Beth questioned, sitting her glass down on the counter. 

Rio downed the last of his bourbon, walking around the counter and slipping his arms around her. “I’m watching my back, baby. Don’t you worry.” There was a hesitancy in his voice that gave her pause. Maybe she  _ did _ have reason to worry.


End file.
